Side sill construction



Nov. 2, 1943. A. o. WILLIAMS SIDE SLL CONSTRUCTION Filed Deo. 22, 1941 Sheets-Sheet l /NVEA/TOE ALFRED O. 'WML/AMS BY mvww wrom/ex 2', i943. A; o. VVILLL/ms 2,333,223

S IDE S ILL CONSTRUCTION Filed Deer.` 22, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 53 g 52 FIG. Z. /s

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@y WKK/WM wrom/fx' Patented Nov. 2, `1924? SIDE SILL CONSTRUCTION Alfred 0. Williams, Battle Creek, Mich., assignor to Clark Equipment Company, Buchanan, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application December 22, 1941, Serial No. 423,981

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a side sill construction for rail cars, such as sub-way and elevated train cars, which are adapted to stop for unloading and loading passengers at elevated platforms or stations where the platform is located above the rail a distance substantially approximating the height of the iloor of the car from the rail.

It has been found desirable in the construction of newer types of cars of this nature to provide a wider car body in order to accommodate more passengers, but with such Wider bodies, considerable diiculty isoccasoned due to the fact that the platforms extend to a point such that the wider car bodies will not clear the same unless the platform iscut ofi. However, to cut oil the platform would leave too wide a gap insofar as the older conventional types of cars are concerned between the edge of the platform 'and the door opening The present invention contemplates a solution of this difficulty by retaining the desirable feature of a Wide car body and yet not disturbing the platform construction at the stations so that both the old and new type of cars can be used at the same station platform. Y

In the particular embodiment of the invention herein described, this result is accomplished by providing a novel type of car sill construction in conjunction with the floor and door opening of the car body.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will dis'- close to those skilled in the art the particular construction and operation of a preferred form of the present invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through one side of a car body showing the sill construction at a point in the body intermediate a door post and an end post; and

Figure 2 is a corresponding sectional view of the Side wall and sill construction of a car body taken substantially between two door posts.

Referring now in detail to Figure l, I have dis- .-closed a station platform generally at 5. This platform may be constructed of concrete, brick,

wood, or the like, and the details of the station jplatform construction forms no part of the pres- 9 to cross beams or girders I0. This forms the basic sub-frame of the car body. Mounted on the outer face of the channel 6 adjacent its upper edge is an extruded longitudinally extending section I2 having the flange I3 riveted, as at I4, to the channel and also to the plate. The member I2 has a smoothly rounded curved portion terminating in the vertically extending end I4, to which is riveted the side wall I5 of the car rbody and the ornamental bead or molding retaining strip I6 over which the molding I'I is pressed. Intermediate the flange I3 and the end I4, the member I2 is provided with a second vertical flange I8 to which is riveted the vertically extending plate or sheet I9 forming the inner Wall of the car body, there being a suitable reinforcing bracket or brace member 29 riveted to the flange I8 and also riveted to the upper ilange 22 of the channel 6 as by means of rivets 23 and 24, respectively. For purposes of providing ventilation, heating and cooling of the car body, there are provided longitudinal ducts above Ythe sill member 6. These ducts are formed by the channelshaped longitudinally extending channel member 25 having one ilange 28 riveted as at 21 to the inner sheet or wall I9 of the car body, and having the opposite llange 28 forming an abutment for the depending flange 29, which closes the inner side of the channel 25. v

The flange 29 is provided with an offset portion 30 which forms with the vertically extending flange 32 of the floor supporting member 33 a passageway in which is inserted the grill or opening 34 allowing the entrance of air through the openings 3'5 therein into the box type conduit formed along the longitudinal sides of the car. Thus, cold al1` may be withdrawn from the interior 35 of the car body into the -conduits 31, and thence drawn to any suitable air conditioning means. The floor supporting member 33 is provided with a. recessed shoulder portion 38 adapted to receive the floor plate 39 which extends transversely across the vehicle. The member 33 is provided with a flange 40 which is riveted as at'42 to the upper horizontal ilange 43 of the cross beam ID. The iioor plates 39 are provided with depending flanges 44 locating them against shifting, these flanges being supported on suitable intermediate spacer members 45. A suitable sub-floor liner or similar plate 46 extends across the top of the channel 6 of the flanges 43 of the cross girders I0 to complete the structure and form a complete closure for the conduit 3l. It will be apparent that with this construction, the outer Wall I5 of the car body extends or overhangs for an appreciable distance over the edge of the platform 5, whereas, the under-frame and side sill of the car body are disposed inwardly thereof so as to clear the edge of the platform 5, whereby the car although appreciably wider than the distance from the center of the rails to the platform, can move past the platform vsnthout obstruction. It will be apparent thatrth'e floor 39 is spaced several inches above the top of the platform 5, and will remain above the platform 5 even when the car is loaded.

Considering now in detail Figure 2, whichv isV a sectional view through the same car body between two door posts, the member I 2 is ,replaced at this point in the car body by theangle member 50, which is riveted to the channel 6 in substanetially the same manner. The member 33-at this;

being provided a top member 52 rivetedpr otherwise secured at its flange portion 53 to the inner wall I9 of the body and closed by themember 29", forming a longitudinal continuation. of. the member 219. Of course, it is to be understood that at the door opening itself, the conduit 31 is interrupted to provide access to the interior of the vehicle.l

The member 50 has riveted. or bolted tothe upper surface thereof the tread plate 55, which, at its outer end, is provided with a down-turned lip '56extending over the platform 5. Extending through ther tread plate 55 and through the reinforcing plate 51 is a postmember 58which is welded as at 59 to secure it in position,y and which forms the lower journal for the doorl operating shaft 60, this door operating shaftibeing pivoted upon the post 58 at its lower endand carriedin a suitable journal at its upper end. This shaft controls the operation ofv the door member E2, which has sliding movement vlietween the inner wall i9 and the outer wall I5 of the car body to expose. the door opening, which is dened at its lower edge by the tread plate 55. The outer Wall l5 of the car body Ais re-inforced adjacent the door openingby the stiffen-ing plate 63, since the member` l2v `1s `of cou-rse interrupted at .the door openings Afsuitable intermediate member 6-5 is disposedv between the liar-ige 5 and the `member 33vto provide a continuous surfacefrom the treadrplate #56 over to the oor plate l35|. Thus, when the carmoves into position at the station platformnd the door is opened, there is no lateral space between the station platform-5 and the tread ,plate fof the door opening, whereby the passengers 'can step directly into the car, and there is no1 possi-bility of wedging either the feet of the passengers between -the car body and the platform or irl-providing` a space therebetween through which articles, such as purses, packages and the like might be dropped.

It is therefore believed apparent that I have provided a car body and sill construction which will allow the use of a wider car than could normally be accommodated by a, present sta.-

tion platform, and yet will allow the use of thev c-onventional car at the same platforms.

I am aware' that various-'changes may be made in` certain details of the present construction, and I thereforedo not intend to be limited except as defined by the scope and spirit of the appendedclaims.

Ir claim:

1.l Ara'lllcar including a car body and a fram saidfra'me comprising a longitudinally extending side'k sill-and'transverse girders, a oor supported onf said girders, outer and inner side wallsin said car body supported in laterally outwardly overhanging relation on said sill, said side walls beinginterrupted to formrafdoor openings|` door for closingN said opening, ai tread plate indirectly supported,V on said sill and extendingV laterally outwardly;` therefrom to they planel of the proie@ tionof said outer wal1,--and.an intermediate-floor plate f supported on saidsill and extending lat- Verally inwardly from' saidA tread plate to the lateral' edge of said door adacent said' door opening.

2. In a rail car body,A a frame ilricludingA `a longitudinally extending 'sill beneath the `car body, transverse girders securedl to said 'sillr a doorA supportedpn saidgirders, an upwardlyand outwardly curved r member secured te I the outer face of saidsill and havinglaterally spaced; ver'- tical flange por-tions; both disposed outwardlyof said-sill, outer rand innerr sidewalls for one side `of said car` bodysupported attheir lower ends on the respective flange portions, andi-bracing ymeans disposed between the top Aface of.- sill vsaidA member sind l secured tog-the top a! said sill andrto innerface of thezfiange supporting said Vinner wall.

3." Arail can' Yincluding -a lengitudimiliy extend? f ing sill member, cross membersfeeeured vto one face thereof, a .floornsupportedv- :on said? cross members; inner amd` outer side Malls .for ,side yof fahrbar,` means .supportingfsad walls-'Qn yone sidefof -safid carfrom'fsaid silliwith theilmer wall disposed laterally outwardly offthefpnter face Vof saixi -sill,-said walls being interrupted to ,ferm .a Adoor .op'ening, a tread platefin mid funn- Aand extending flifeiflrly l"mlm!mails," bbnefmm .tol the plane :of vtheipl'biieetionfcfzsardl om wall,

r mea-ns supporting saidlireadplatefon saidmilll,

means supported '-.on-fsaid "sill Menus, .jmvwardly of said last-namednmeense lom continuation between said flooramdrtreed plate :andover-lyingsaid sill.`

.ALFRED @mamma 

